Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Dec 2021
Stewart analysis unmasks acidifying and alkalizing effects of ionic shifts during acute severe respiratory alkalosis.
Although both the Henderson-Hasselbalch method and the Stewart approach can be used to analyze acid-base disturbances and metabolic and respiratory compensation mechanisms, the latter may be superior in detecting subtle metabolic changes. ⋯ Henderson-Hasselbalch analysis indicated a profound and purely respiratory alkalosis with no metabolic compensation following extreme hyperventilation. The Stewart approach revealed metabolic compensation occurring within minutes. These results challenge the long-held axiom that metabolic compensation of acute respiratory acid-base changes is a slow process.